Will Lukashenko's Decision On Housing And Communal Services Be Put On The Brakes?

• 28.01.2026, 9:21

There will be no change.

Lukashenko suggested to give a "slightly cooler coolant" to the batteries of residential buildings, so that there would be no accidents on heating mains. The expert of "Green Belarus" in a commentary for "Salidarnasts" suggested that Lukashenko's decision would be put on the brakes:

- Reducing the temperature and pressure in the pipes could theoretically reduce the likelihood of new ruptures of heating mains. However, it will either not be possible to implement such an order or it will lead to a large number of side effects.

A significant part of the housing stock is now equipped with thermoregulators (on the radiators or a common regulator for the whole house). They automatically regulate the temperature in the apartments. If the temperature of water in the radiators decreases, the regulators will simply increase its flow.

In houses where there are no regulators, the temperature may indeed decrease, but in such houses it was high not because people wanted it that way. Regardless of what the occupants want, without regulators, they cannot affect the temperature.

If there is a long heating main, it is likely that some homes connected to it will have high temperatures and others will have normal temperatures. If the temperature or water flow is reduced, some homes will drop to normal temperatures and others will drop below comfortable levels. As a result, complaints will start and everything will go back.

When developing guidelines and standards for heating systems, there is an ongoing effort to reduce the temperature and pressure of the water in the pipes. This improves system efficiency, reduces losses and saves money.

And if improvements could be made with one ordinance, it would have been done a long time ago. So either there will be no change, or someone's apartment temperature will drop well below the comfortable level of 20 degrees.